Just in time for Thanksgiving, here’s part two of my interview with John Durham Peters, the A. Craig Baird Professor in communication studies at the University of Iowa. Peters joined me through Skype from his home in Iowa for this two-part episode on Mormonism and Communication (see part 1 here). A bibliography of Peters’s works directly relating to Mormonism is available at lifeongoldplates.com. Articles and mp3s are available for free download.

We cover a lot of ground in part two, beginning with a discussion about John’s book Courting the Abyss: Free Speech and the Liberal Tradition. Peters talks about Paul’s milk and meat distinction and the liberal tradition of truth grappling with error. Other topics range from the idea of civility in political discourse to the “guts” of the atonement. Peters also explains why he situates mercy at the very heart of his theory of communication. All this and more, in the final part of my interview with John Durham Peters. Email questions, comments, and suggestions to “podcast (at) fairlds.org.”

Runtime:

41:56

Download:

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In part two, Richard Bushman discusses challenges facing Mormon graduate students, his latest book “Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction,” and other subjects including temples, the LDS sacraments, Mormon cosmology, and Zion. Bushman is an award-winning American historian, currently serving as the Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University. He is also a general editor of the ongoing Joseph Smith Papers project.

Runtime:

47:51

Download:

To download, right click this link and select “Save link as…” or download in iTunes here.

The FAIR Podcast is now available for free download at iTunes. Check out the first two episodes, featuring Gregory L. Smith and Terryl L. Givens, respectively. Later this week part one of a special two-part episode featuring historian Richard L. Bushman will be published. As you can see, one important criterion for our podcast interviewees has been the middle initial of “L.”

Questions about these episodes and ideas for participants in future episodes can be emailed to [email protected].